Magnificent Met Mile Field Set on Belmont Stakes Day

Met Mile is a ‘Win and You’re In’ Breeders’ Cup Prep Race

An all-star edition of the $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap is set for Saturday, June 9 at Belmont Park. Mind Your Biscuits, the richest New York-bred in history, is the morning line 5-2 favorite and headlines the star-studded field of 11 for the 125th running of the MetMile. The winner not only adds $650,000 to his career earnings, which would increase to more than $4.3 million for Mind Your Biscuits, but also earns a fees-paid entry to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs as part of the “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

Mind Your Biscuits is a 7-time winner and has finished in the money in 18-of-21 lifetime starts. He finished 2nd and 3rd in the past two editions of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Mind Your Biscuits will carry top weight of 122 pounds in the Met Mile from post-position 1, yielding from four to eight pounds to his rivals, six of which are already proven at one mile.

Last year’s 3rd place finisher and favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Bolt d’ Oro (4-1), breaks from the No. 2 post in the Met Mile. He cuts back in distance after finishing 12th in the Kentucky Derby last time out. Bolt d’ Oro will also carry low weight in the Met Mile at 114 pounds.

The two other top challengers in the betting market break from the outside with front runner Bee Jersey (5-1) and Awesome Slew (6-1) on the far outside in post 11. Awesome Slew finished a distant 4th in last year’s Met Mile and was 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He finished a close 3rd in his recent race a neck behind winner Limousine Liberal and runner-up Warrior’s Club in the Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Twinspires.com May 5 on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

McCraken (12-1) is 2-for-2 racing 1 mile and has won 6 of 11 starts. He’s shooting for his first Grade 1 win. Other top milers and tough challengers include Limousine Liberal (10-1), Good Samaritan (10-1), Ransom the Moon (10-1) and One Liner (12-1). Long shots Warrior’s Club (20-1) and Discreet Lover (50-1) complete the fantastic field.

The Met Mile is the second leg of a $1.5 million guaranteed all-Grade 1 Pick 4 that also includes the $700,000 Longines Just a Game in Race 8 and $1 million Woodford Reserve Manhattan in Race 10, and is anchored by the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.

Carded as Race 9 (4:45 p.m. ET), the Met Mile will be part of NBC’s national telecast from 4-7 p.m. that is capped by the 1 ½-mile Belmont, which has a post time of 6:46 p.m. NBC Sports Network will also provide racing coverage from 2-4 p.m. Saturday.